C - Chemistry Program

This two-day class will provide participants with an in-depth introduction into the narcotic drug fentanyl and its analogs. During the first day fentanyl’s uses, pharmacology, abuse, and illicit production methods are discussed in detail. This includes fentanyl analog synthesis and safety considerations both at a illicit drug laboratory crime scene and in the forensic laboratory during analysis. Day two starts with a discussion of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs that have been seized and those being advertised online. Different types of analytical data from fentanyl and various analogs are reviewed and discussed for similarities and differences. This is followed by spectral interpretation of suspected fentanyl-related data. Class participants are given a set of unknown data to evaluate, test, and further
develop their structural elucidation skills. These types of spectral interpretation exercises are very helpful in developing the skills necessary to effectively evaluate analytical data from true unknowns. The class ends with a review of those interpretations and the distribution of training certificates. Due to the potent nature of this class of compounds, no laboratory exercises are performed, only classroom exercises.

Instructor:

Tim Mckibben

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $240.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This one day (six hour) class will present information on butane honey oil (BHO) laboratories. The class will discuss what is BHO, facts regarding BHO lab investigations, explosions, and BHO trends. The instructors will discuss the extraction methods, including closed loop systems, and will have displays of paraphernalia commonly found in laboratories. The class will discuss safety precautions that should be taken at a BHO laboratory. The instructors will share their experience in what is needed for successful prosecution of BHO labs, including evidence collection.

This two (2) day course presents methods via instrumentation (GCMS, FTIR) to analyze synthetic cannabinoids using synthetic cannabinoid drug reference standards. Class work also consists of data review.
Each class may be limited to six (6) students.

Instructor:

Timothy McKibben

Teaching Methods:

Lecture and practical exercises.

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $240.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This three-day (24 hour) course provides training in the theory, comparison, identification, and interpretation of the infrared spectra of organic compounds. The course is intended for forensic scientists involved in the analysis of materials such as controlled substances, paints, fibers, and explosives where infrared spectra are used for identification. Students should possess knowledge of organic and physical chemistry commensurate with a baccalaureate degree in one of the natural sciences. Students must be familiar with the preparation and presentation of spectra. This is NOT a laboratory course. Successful completion of this course will provide the student with a basic understanding of the mechanism and theory of infrared spectroscopy and the capability of elucidating organic structures using band assignments. Students will be expected to solve practical problems in structural determinations. They may be asked to give brief oral presentations of the problem solutions. Each class is limited to 24 students.

Instructor:

Robert L. Julian, Ph.D.

Teaching Methods:

Classroom lectures and practical exercises.

Objectives:

Students will be able to demonstrate the use of a systematic approach toward comparison and interpretation of infrared spectra.

Prerequisites:

Organic Chemistry. Preparation and presentation of infrared spectra.

Preparation:

Review nomenclature of organic chemical functional groups.

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $360.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This three (3) day course presents synthesis of commonly used elements of MDMA and associated compounds through practical laboratory exercises. Qualitative analyses of precursors, products and waste materials will be performed. Also, scene response, safety considerations and recently observed tableting trends will be discussed.
Each class will be limited to six (6) students.

Students will be able to recognize and characterize common MDMA synthetic reaction routes, to choose appropriate analytical approaches for MDMA and associated compounds, and be aware of inherent safety considerations.

Prerequisites:

Must be proficient with instrumentation and sample preparation techniques for qualitative analysis. General knowledge of organic synthesis techniques is desirable.

Preparation:

Familiarization with nomenclature of relevant compounds

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $360.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This one-week (36 hour) course will provide students with the knowledge necessary to sample, separate, and analyze the complex chemical mixtures resulting from the manufacture of controlled substances. Students will be taught how to determine the method of clandestine manufacture and to be able to isolate and identify controlled substances and intermediate materials used and produced in illicit manufacture. A variety of instrumental techniques will be employed. Students will synthesize methamphetamine and related compounds in a safe laboratory environment. This course is intended for criminalists or forensic scientists employed by law enforcement agencies. Each class is limited to 12 students. This course is POST reimbursable, Plan IV.

Instructor:

Various

Teaching Methods:

Lectures, demonstrations, and practical laboratory exercises.

Objectives:

Students will be able to determine the method of manufacture used and isolate and identify controlled substances and intermediate materials used and produced in clandestine laboratories.

Prerequisites:

Applicants must be employed as criminalists or forensic scientists by law enforcement agencies. The candidates should be experienced in controlled substance analysis and have a knowledge of organic chemistry.

Preparation:

Students may be provided with a pre-course reading package. Prior experience with Clandestine Laboratory Investigation will be helpful.

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $600.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This one-week (40 hour) course will provide students with a basic understanding of the chemistry and effects of common low explosives and pyrotechnics found in criminal cases. Students will be taught an analytical scheme to detect and identify traces of these explosives and their reaction products in post-explosion debris. Laboratory exercises will emphasize microscopic techniques. This course is intended for criminalists and forensic scientists employed in law enforcement agencies who have responsibility for the analysis of suspected explosive materials or related debris. Each class is limited to 15 students. This course is POST Plan IV Certified.

Instructor:

Various

Teaching Methods:

Lectures, demonstrations, and practical laboratory exercises.

Objectives:

Students will be required to complete a series of practical exercises involving known and unknown explosives and their residues to the satisfaction of the instructors and to pass a written test.

Prerequisites:

Basic understanding of inorganic chemistry and common instrumental methods of analysis. Proficiency with polarized light microscopy.

Preparation:

Pre-course reading material may be offered.

Tuition:

No cost to POST supported or State of California based Law Enforcement agencies. A $600.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

This four-day course concentrates on collection of ignitable liquid samples and fire debris, analysis by GCMS, and interpretation of GC and GCMS results in more difficult cases. Exercises will include manipulation of analytical data for the purpose of comparison interpretation of mixtures, and for classification of ignitable liquid products. This course is intended for criminalists and forensic chemists who currently perform or will be performing analyses of ignitable liquids and fire debris.

Students will strive to demonstrate mastery of mass spectra data interpretation, absorption theory and techniques, sample comparison and identification, and macro-programming. The goal is to give the students an advanced-level understanding of the range of materials encountered in fire debris and their reliable and accurate analysis and reporting.

This is a 4-day class. It is a class for beginners. This class will demonstrate how to handle a case involving ignitable liquids and/or fire debris from start to finish. It will address how to get started, how to recover analyte from fire-related debris samples, how to identify common ignitable liquids using GCMS, how to process and interpret analytical data, how to form and evaluate conclusions, and how to generate a report. Practical laboratory exercises will be emphasized. Evidence storage and safety considerations will also be addressed. This course is intended for criminalists and forensic scientists employed by law enforcement or public safety agencies who currently perform or will be performing analysis of ignitable liquids and debris from fire scenes. POST Plan IV reimbursement.

This three-day classroom course is designed for forensic scientists who use mass spectrometry in the analysis of physical evidence. It also is useful for supervisors who review mass spectral analytical data. Types of instrumentation and various techniques of mass spectra generation are presented. Basic interpretation of mass spectra is discussed, with emphasis on the types of chemical compounds commonly identified in forensic laboratories, particularly controlled substances and arson accelerants. Practical class exercises will apply fundamental principles used to interpret mass spectra. This course is open to criminalists, toxicologists, and supervisors who are responsible for generating and/or reviewing mass spectral data. Students should be familiar with the operation of mass spectrometers and the presentation of mass spectra.

Instructor:

Sandra Sachs, PhD, and Francis Woo, MS

Teaching Methods:

Classroom lectures and practical exercises.

Objectives:

Students will apply several approaches for interpreting mass spectra. Students will apply basic principles to identification of compounds of forensic interest.

Prerequisites:

The student should be well versed in organic chemistry and be familiar with the use of GC/MS instrumentation